Honorary Master

Honorary Master

It’s easy to get carried away by what the market has to offer, that we sometimes overlook what’s at the bottom end of the spectrum. And a vehicle like the Sportage, that’s been around for 25 years, is an example that there is life to be had away from the ordinary. This 1.6 Ignite auto could do with a turbo bolted onto its engine, but it still manages to offer an engaging drive for all the right reasons.

It is neither boring nor predictable and it has a certain flair to it, but prospective buyers need to know what they’re in for. If a strong engine and upmarket interior are selling points, this specific model would not suffice. But if a good ride quality and simple yet effective cabin rock your boat, you can’t go wrong.

Honorary Master

Kia Motors South Africa has handed the four base models in its Sportage range an infotainment upgrade, bringing them into line with the rest of the line-up.

The update to Ignite and Ignite Plus variants comes as part of what the Korean firm describes as its “continuous product development” and is “aligned to consumer feedback”.

Interestingly, Kia Motors SA says customers who purchased a fourth-generation base model before now will have the option of retrofitting the system (at any Kia dealership in South Africa) for the price of R6 325, a figure which includes both VAT and fitment.

Honorary Master

Kia has updated the Sportage, adding a new mild-hybrid diesel powertrain and a new trim level for 2020.

The SUV now has three powertrains. The mild-hybrid diesel replaces the regular diesel, pairing a 48-volt lithium ion battery to a 1.6-litre diesel engine, and joins two petrols: the naturally aspirated 1.6-litre GDi and turbocharged 1.6-litre T-GDi.

The choice of front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive remains.

The entry-level petrol Sportage is priced from from £23,110, while the mild-hybrid diesel holds a premium of £1685, beginning at £24,795.

In front-wheel-drive form, the mild-hybrid diesel emits 141g/km CO2, which is 17g/km less than the outgoing diesel. Economy is a claimed 52.3mpg, over the previous 47.1mpg. In four-wheel-drive form, these figures are slightly inflated but still improved.

The Sportage first gained mild-hybrid technology when an electrified 2.0-litre diesel powertrain was added to the range in 2018. However, this variant has been axed for the updated car as Kia seeks to streamline the Sportage line-up.